Selflessness
by SteamPunkSnowWhite
Summary: In the years following the destruction of the One Ring, the city of Gondor flourished. But what of Faramir? Having lost his love, so soon after finding her, he must carry on for the sake of his children. How long can his children stand being without a mother? How will he cope knowing that his children are unhappy?
1. Chapter 1

It had been over a decade since the dark lord Sauron was finally defeated, and the one ring was throne into the fire of Mount Doom. The world of men struggled to rebuild their lives and cope with the loss from war. Many no longer had a family that they could go to with their anguish. Friends became almost as vital as breath to the survivors of the last great war.

In the White City of Gondor, Aragorn, Son of Arathorn, sat upon the throne once again. His wife, Arwen, sat beside him and together, they made sure that their city thrived. Children took to playing in the streets, and this small action, gave everyone in the city hope. The children were what secured their future now. Those who fought, and won the war for the freedom of men, did it for their future generations.

And that is where our story begins, with the lives of the children. Near the front gates, upon the white steps, sat a child. A beautiful, young girl, who could have been no more than five years old. Her long, golden hair was braided down her back. Her skin was fair and her eyes were as blue as the ocean. She wore a blue dress, which was uncommon for peasant children. She did not look as though she was a child who had to play in the streets, or even be in them at all. She was a rather devious child, always getting into trouble and creating a real mess of things.

The air was hot, and the sun was at its peak in the sky. There were very few people out in the street. If they could escape the sun, they would. Only those who were working remained in the hot sun, them, and the little girl. In truth, the girl was doing her best to stay out of her home. Her brother was being strained in the watch tower, and she had nothing to do. The woman who took care of her since her mothers death was not a very kind woman. She took care of the children well enough, true. Always made sure they were clean, clothed and fed, but she did not play with them or let them have any fun. If they were not reading books, they were being made to clean their home. This is why her brother willingly volunteered to learn to help outside of their home, to escape the terrible woman there.

Suddenly, the whole kingdom seemed to be whipped into a frenzy. There were horns to be heard from above and the small child looked up, not knowing what that meant. She knew nothing of war in her short lifetime and had never heard the horns being blown before. She stood up quickly and hurried into a small alley, peaking around timidly as she watched the large gates. There were soldiers standing all around, with armor on and weapons drawn. The girl did not understand why how they all got ready so fast.

Aragorn walked passed her then, followed by Arwen, and the Steward of Gondor, Faramir. They all walked with quick strides, walking towards the large gates. They all stopped at the bottom of the steps, standing tall and proud. Aragorn had his hand upon the hilt of his sword, but was not holding onto it. He looked at the guards in control of the gate and nodded his head, letting them know it was alright for them to open the doors.

All at once, the men began to move, opening the doors and preparing for battle. They all had their hands on their weapons, ready for anything that may walk through that door. The small girl still watched, wondering why they would open the doors if they believed these people were dangerous.

The doors creaked and cracked, groaning in protest as they were slowly slid open. A strong breeze blew through the door, causing everyones hair to whip into a frenzy. The king did not move, only watched the doors as people came into view.

The people were peasants, mostly women and children. Wearing plain clothing, dirty, tattered and torn. It was easy to see how exhausted these people were. They looked as though they had been traveling for days. All of the horses they had were not being ridden, but instead, had carts of supplies and belongings that they pulled. As the crowd drew nearer to them, the guards and the king seemed to be more rigid. They were bracing themselves for anything that these people may do.

A young woman stepped forth then, with desperation clearly expressed on her dirty face. Her eyes shone like emeralds through the darkness on her skin. She bowed her head politely to Aragorn before looking up at him. Her black hair was knotted and covered with clumps of mud. There were a few twigs sticking out here and there as well.

"Why have you come?" Aragorn asked with a stern, but gentle tone. He was simply trying to show that he was not easily persuaded, but that he was still open to listen to what they had to say none the less.

"My king, I come to you in great need." She said quietly as she hugged a small bundle, wrapped in blankets, tight against her chest. "We have suffered a great drought. We have been traveling for almost a month." She said softly, tears threatening to choke out her voice. "We are seeking shelter, and a new place to rebuild our lives. I offer you this, as payment." She said quietly as she held out the bundle in her arms. She was not looking at him Aragorn, she wasn't really looking at anyone. She just held out her arms, trembling as she looked off to the side.

Aragorn watched her skeptically before stepping forward and taking the package from her arms. He slowly opened it and let out a deep sigh as he looked down at the small bundle of jewelry and gold that he now held in his arms.

"I can not accept this from you." He said softly before wrapping them up and placing them back within her arms. "You and your kin may stay here." He said, patting her hands gently.

"Thank you, my king. You are very kind." She whispered quietly as a tear slid down her cheek. She nervously pulled the bundle back to her chest and began to hug it to herself again. She still was not looking at anyone in particular. Arwen had been studying the girls eyes and looked at her husband when she figured it out. She was not going to say anything now, for fear of embarrassing the young woman. Arwen could tell that this girl was blind, or at least, almost blind. Her sight was not very good, despite her young age.

The woman turned and walked back to her own people, holding an arm out in front of herself as she walked. She announced the good news to them and they flooded into the city around her. Everyone was extremely careful not to walk into her, or bump her. It was like water parting around a large stone as they went passed her. Even the smallest of children were completely respectful of this young woman who lead them.

"Aragorn…" Arwen whispered quietly as she grabbed her husbands arm. He looked down at her with a small smile, but then she continued speaking. "I believe that the young woman is blinded, or very close to it." She said quietly.

"I did notice that something seemed off…"He replied quietly before nodding his head. "She appears to be the person leading her people. If she was not more qualified than others, they would not allow her to keep that position." He pointed out gently. "I believe that these people are true to their word. I will allow them to stay here as long as they do not prove me wrong."

"Why is there no man leading them, or even in sight?" Arwen asked quietly. She had noticed that all of those walking passed her were women, and children. There were no men, except for those who were still children or were very elderly.

"I think that perhaps we should invite her to have dinner with us tonight, to get some more explanation to all of this." He said gently. Arwen nodded and released his arm then, satisfied with his answer. The girl who had lead her people to Gondor walked in last, flinching slightly when the gates closed behind her. She whipped around and stared up at the wall, as if trying to figure out why it would make such a loud noise.

"What is your name?" Aragorn called over the noise of everyone else's talking.

"Polenia." She answered in a strong tone before she turned around to face him again. "My name is Polenia."

"Well, Polenia, welcome to Gondor." He said with a tender smile before he looked at her. "My men will help your people find places to settle in." He said gently before looking at Faramir. "You have a special task." He said quietly.

"Yes, My Lord?" Faramir asked as he stepped forward. Aragorn leaned forward and whispered his words to Faramir, so that the young woman would not hear.

"I want you to help her. I believe that her sight has left her. Be as patient as you can."

"I will do my best." Faramir said with a small nod before he turned and walked towards the young woman. She seemed to know exactly where he was and she looked up at his face. This was the closest to eye contact she had made with anyone since she had arrived here.

"I have been given the honor of helping you settle in here." He said gently as he offered her a hand. "Would you like to come with me?"

"He told you to help me, because I can not see, didn't he?" She asked with a small whisper. A smile crossed her lips as she reached out and grabbed his hand, squeezing tenderly before she released it. "I appreciate your willingness to help me, but I do not need it." She said with a small smile before she turned away and looked up at the stairs. "I do not see as others do, but do not mistake me for someone who is completely blinded."

Faramir watched her walk away from him and could not help but laugh quietly to himself. It had been a long time since he had seen such a strong, bull-headed woman. It actually pained his heart to think of her in such a way. It had been six years since he lost his wife. He had always done a flawless job of hiding his feelings of pain, for fear of upsetting his children. Elboron would understand it, but Finduilas would not. The last thing he wanted was to have to explain to his daughter that she was the reason her mother was no longer alive. There was nothing anyone could have done to save her, but that did not make the pain any less real. He turned away form her then and walked up the stairs, following Aragorn and Arwen back to the throne room, where they were likely to discuss how they were going to handle all of these new people within their walls.

The small girl who had hidden from the vast group of people slowly revealed herself from within her hiding spot. Polenia seemed to notice her almost instantly and she looked over at her. The girl flinched and slid back into her hiding spot, not wanting to be caught out in the city. Her father would be furious if he leaned she had snuck out of her house again.

Polenia took a few steps forward and almost fell on her face, tripping over the first of the stairs. She nervously lifted her skirt slightly, so that she could walk up the stairs without tripping over the hem of her dress. She walked slowly and had a look of concentration upon her face. It was going to take a while for her to memorize her surroundings. She had known every rock, root and hole in the ground in her village, but those days were gone. She stopped when she knew she was beside the small girl and knelt down, looking over at her with a small smile on her face.

"Why are you hiding?" Polenia asked with a tender smile before offering a hand to the small child. She knew that she had to look rather frightening right now, seeing as she had not bathed or even brushed her hair in weeks.

"Father would have been mad if he saw…" She said quietly before looking at the woman, giggling softly to herself. "Your hair is dirty."

Polenia just stared at the girl for a moment before she bursted out in heart-felt laughter. She shook her head and raised her hands, placing them on her head, feeling the debris in her hair. She started laughing even harder as she sat down on the steps, towards the wall, hoping she would be out of the way.

"I think you are right." She laughed quietly as she began pulling clumps of mud and twigs out of her hair.

"I can help." The small girl said tenderly as she finally emerged from her hiding place. She stood behind the woman and began picking things out of her hair, smoothing it down with her small fingers as well as she could. She even gently attempted to get some of the knots out, running her fingers through the woman's hair.

"Thank you. I am sure I will be pretty again when you are done." Polenia laughed quietly as she held her hands on her lap. She could not see all of the people that were staring at her, but she could hear the whispers. Their tones were bitter, wondering why Aragorn had so willingly let strangers within their walls. They talked about how Polenia was a no one, with no royal lineage, and did not even speak the name of the village they had traveled from to get here. She tried her best not to let their words get to her. She would prove her worth soon enough, she just did not know it yet.

"I think you are pretty…" The young girl said softly, pulling Polenia out of her daze.

"You are very sweet. What is your name?" Polenia asked quietly.

"Finduilas." The girl said softly before she stopped touching the woman's hair. She sat down next to her and looked up at her, with admiration in her eyes. She thought that this woman was beautiful, even though her face was still dirty and her dress was covered in dirt. She had asked her father several times as to why she did not have a mother, like the other children did. He never gave her an answer. He would only look at her sadly before saying 'I will tell you when you are older'. That answer was not good enough for her. She was young, but she wanted to be able to have a mother just like anyone else. She wrapped her arms around the woman's arm and leaned against her, holding her tightly. This was the only woman to try and speak to her, other that the woman who was supposed to keep an eye on them at home, and Finduilas did not like that woman. Did not like her even a little bit.

"Where are you supposed to be right now?" Polenia asked gently, raising her free hand to tenderly stroke the young girls hair.

"I am supposed to be at home, but I do not like the lady who watches us. She is mean." Finduilas said angrily as she held onto Polenia's arm even more tightly. "She watches us until father comes home, but he is almost never home… I don't think he likes us very much."

"Oh, sweet heart…" Polenia said quietly as she lifted the girl into her lap and held her close. "I do not think that is true. I am sure your father loves you, very much." She said with a tender, loving tone as she rubbed the little girls back.

"Will you stay with me until he comes home?" Finduilas asked quietly, looking up at the woman with pleading, eyes.

"Where am I going to wait with you?" Polenia said with a small sigh. "I do not think the woman who watches you would like it if I came home with you, especially without your fathers permission."

"We could play games?" Finduilas said quietly as she pulled away so that she could look at the woman. "We could play tag or hide-and-seek?" She suggested eagerly.

"Oh, sweet heart…" Polenia said sadly, feeling her heart break within her chest as she shook her head. "I do not see very well… I can not promise I would be able to find you, especially in a city that I have no knowledge of. Running would not be a good thing for me to do either." She said sadly. "Would you like it if I just told you stories?" She offered, hopeful that the girl would not decide to be bored with her then.

"I like stories!" Finduilas said excitedly as she sat back down on the woman's lap, snuggling against her chest tightly. Polenia laughed quietly and wrapped her arms around the girl, resting her chin upon the girls head as she began to speak. She told stories of her own life, growing up with the love of her family and her sisters. She left out the parts of these stories that took her entire family from her, including her own husband and children, years ago. She was telling stories for so long that she had hardly noticed the air growing cooler as the sun lowered in the sky and began to set.

"Pippin!" A mans voice rose through the streets. Repeatedly, he called out this name, drawing closer and closer to Polenia. She had no idea who he was looking for. She went to stand and realized that Finduilas was asleep upon her lap. She laughed quietly and shifted the girl around so that she could lift her as she stood up. She held the child gently as she looked up to face the sky. The cool air that brushed against her face made her realize just how late it must have been now.

"Pippin!" The voice called again and Finduilas stirred in Polenia's arms. Her eyes opened slowly and she yawned, whimpering slightly, not being to happy with being woken up.

"Papa, I'm sleeping." Finduilas whined quietly against Polenia's neck. Polenia smiled to herself and laughed quietly as she slowly began to walk up the steps, towards the mans voice. She was being extra careful not to fall. She did not want to hurt the sleeping child who was not even her own.

"I have her!" She called gently, trying not to be too loud in the young girls ear. Faramir rounded the corner, a look of panic upon his face that quickly turned to relief as she saw the woman holding his daughter.

"I hope she did not bother you." He said apologetically as he hurried towards her, gently lifting his daughter into his own arms. "I know she can be a trouble maker when she wants to be."

"She was no bother to me." Polenia said with a tender smile. "She reminds me of my little one. It was nice to spend time with her. I hope you do not mind my spending time with her." She said with a small bow of her head. "I do not mean to offend anyone. I know that I am a stranger here and that you have no reason to trust me, but she seemed so lonely and sad." She whispered quietly before focusing on his face. "She says that the woman who watches them is cruel to them, and it makes her feel like you do not love her."

Faramir just stared at the woman with his jaw agape, holding his daughter more tightly as he tried to wrap his brain around what this woman was saying to him. What on earth gave her the nerve or the right to speak to him in such a way? She knew nothing of the way his family was! She had no right. He frowned and nodded, trying to contain his temper so that he would not scream at her in the middle of the street.

"How about I care for my daughter, and you care for your own?" He finally snapped bitterly before he turned to walk away from her.

"My daughter is dead." Polenia answered softly. Faramir stopped walking and closed his eyes tightly, immediately regretting his choice of words. He turned around to apologize, but the woman was already walking passed him up the stairs. She did not turn to look at him, or seem to want anything to do with him now. He watched her walk away from him, wondering what he could do to mend what he had said to her. He thought about offering to let her stay with them, until she found her own place to be here. A woman with no sight should not be forced to live on her own.

"Miss, wait." Faramir called finally as he walked up the steps after her, reaching out and grabbing her by her arm. She stopped walking but still did not turn to look at him. She did not want him to see the tears that screamed down her face, leaving clean streaks down her cheeks. "Please, I did not mean to say something so cruel to you." He said quietly. "I have also felt the sting of loss. I have lost all of my family. All I have left is my children. The thought of disappointing them is more than I could stand. My anger was not at you, but at the fact that I know your words are true." He said gently.

Polenia ripped her arm from his grasp as she turned to glare at him. "In loss, we are almost evenly matched. I too, have lost all of my family. There is only one difference, and that is I was not lucky enough to keep my children. They were to ripped away from me and nothing could have been done to stop it. Be thankful for your children, Faramir." She said bitterly, her lip quivering as she tried to be angry at him. She could not stop her tears, but was doing her best to keep from completely falling into self pity.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" He asked softly as he reached out and cupped her cheek, brushing a tear away with his thumb, leaving a clean mark on her face. Polenia stared at him, trying to decide wether she enjoyed his contact or not. She decided this was not what she wanted and she smacked his hand away from her before turning away again.

"You can treat your daughter well. Find someone else to watch her, someone who cares for her." She said sternly as she began walking up the steps again, tripping slightly, but refusing to ask for help as she went.

"What about you?" Faramir asked suddenly, despite his better judgement. She stopped walking again and just leaned against the building to her right. She clenched her fist and rested it against the wall, not sure what kind of a sick game he was trying to play.

"What about me?" She asked nervously as she turned around to face him again. He walked up the steps behind her and grabbed her arm again, as if trying to help her stand. He could tell that she was uneasy on her feet. Being in a new place, with so many stairs, must be very difficult with no eye sight.

"Pippin likes you. She fell asleep on your lap." Faramir said quietly. "I can tell that you like her too. If I asked you to watch her during the day, would you? Then you would know she is in good hands and happy." He said gently.

"Why would you trust me to watch your daughter? You do not even know who I am, or where I came from. You do not know why these people trusted me to lead them to Gondor even though I am without eye sight." She said quickly before looking up at him.

"I don't trust you." He said sternly. "I do not trust you, at all. I do not know you, but she does and that is good enough for me."

"We will see…" She said quietly as she turned from him again. "I still need a place to settle in, bathe, find new clothes." She laughed gently as she tried to walk up the stairs. He was still holding her arm and he did not release her. She felt uneasy then. Why would he want so badly for her to watch his child? He obviously loved her, very much. He was even willing to let a complete stranger into his home so that his daughter would be happy.

"I could help you with all of those things, if only you would agree to come back with me."

"I do not trust you!" She shouted finally, pulling her arm from his grasp as she wrapped her arms around herself tightly. "I have been lied to and tormented by men before, Faramir." She whispered softly as she closed her eyes tightly. "I can not trust you until you prove to me you can be trusted."

"How dare you-" He started before he saw Arwen walking down the steps towards them, wearing an elegant, white dress, and a dark blue cloak. He stepped back from Polenia quickly, knowing that this would look bad to anyone who had not heard their conversation previously. He felt guilt for making this young woman cry, but he could not help what had been said. She was defiant and head strong. Part of him loathed her for her behavior, and part of him loved her for it. He only looked up at Arwen, nodding his head respectfully before he turned and walked towards his own home, with Finduilas still fast asleep in his arms.

Polenia heard him walk away and only trembled, leaning against the stone wall, tears still brimming her bright eyes. The sky was almost completely dark now, but she did not notice it.

"You are shivering." Arwen said softly as she placed her hand upon Polenia's shoulder. The touch caused her to jump. She had not heard the woman's footsteps coming near her, and that was very rare. "And you are crying." Arwen added sadly before she unclasped her cloak, putting it over the shoulders of Polenia, clasping it around her neck.

"It is nothing…" Polenia said with a small laugh as she wiped the tears from her face. "Thank you. I did not realize how cold it was out here now." She admit softly.

"My king and I would like you to join us for a meal this evening." Arwen said quietly. Her voice was light and airy, sounding almost like a song to Polenia's ears.

"That would be very lovely, thank you." Polenia said with a small smile before shaking her head. "But I fear that I am still a mess. I am not at all presentable enough to enjoy a meal with you tonight." She whispered with a small laugh, trying to keep her own spirits up.

"I know." Arwen said with a tender smile before she tenderly cupped the girls face, looking her over. "I am finding you early, so that I can help you clean up before dinner." She said softly, brushing a lock of hair from the woman's face. "Did Faramir help you get settled in, like was requested of him?" Arwen asked gently, though, she already knew the answer.

"I told him that I did not want his help. Though, I do regret it now." She said with a small smile, standing up straighter and trembling less. Her tears had stopped now, but her face still had clean streaks.

"You may stay with us tonight. Come on, now, lets get you cleaned up." Arwen said tenderly as she wrapped an arm around the girls shoulders, gently leading her up the stairs. Polenia focused on listening for the woman's footsteps now, but still could not hear them.

"You walk like a ghost…" Polenia whispered quietly, a smile crossing her lips. "It is amazing that I can not hear your steps. Without my sight, my hearing can usually catch even the smallest of sounds."

"It may be because I was raised in Rivendell." Arwen said with a small smile. "My husband walks with the same grace, though, he will never admit it." She aid gently.

"You are both very kind. I did not expect so much acceptance or kindness upon coming here." Polenia admit softly.

"Why did you come here if you expected anything else?" Arwen asked softly as she looked at the girl. They arrived at their large home, at the top of the city. Arwen opened the door for the girl and lead her inside, shutting the door behind them.

"I came here out of blind hope." She laughed sadly. "The drought was only part of what destroyed our people. I was not completely honest with you when we arrived. There was a dispute, between our village and a near by city… Over gold and valuables." She hissed bitterly before closing her eyes. "My father was the ruler of our village, and sent all of our men to die in a foolish war. Between the men being gone, and the drought killing our crops and livestock. We could not stay. Either the army of the city was going to kill us, or starvation and the elements would."

"I am so sorry to hear about your loss…" Arwen said quietly as she listened to the girl speak, all the while still leading her towards the large bathing room.

"It is alright. I have been very fortunate, finding the strength to carry on, so that I may keep the families around me safe. I lost my father, my husband, and my two children within the last year." She said sadly. "The pain is fresh, but I have not had a moment to grieve for their loss, not yet. But now that we are here, in Gondor. We are save… I may have a chance to take care of myself, and worry about everyone else just a little bit less."

"I think that would be wise." Arwen said tenderly before leading the girl down a long hallway, opening a door towards the end. The door did not make a noise, but warm hair washed over them both, as well as the smell of flowers.

"Where are we?" Polenia asked quietly as she raised her arms, reaching around nervously, trying to find a wall or something to hang on to so that she could guide herself.

"I had a bath prepared for you before I came to get you, just in case you did not settle in anywhere today." Arwen said tenderly as she removed her cloak from the girls shoulders and folded it neatly, setting it on a small, white table that sat beside the door.

"You just keep proving your kindness to me…" Polenia laughed quietly before shaking her head. "I do not know how I will ever be able to repay you and your king. This is more than I had ever hoped for."

"Are you going to need help?" Arwen asked quietly. She did not want to insult this girl by offering help, but she did not want to let her struggle if she needed it.

"I will manage by myself, thank you, but I would like something clean to wear, if… If you have anything. I do not want to be a burden." She said hurriedly as she began to unlace the front of her dress, walking towards the tub. The air was warmer in that direction, and she assumed that it was because of the steam coming off of the hot water.

"I will see if I can find a dress in your size. I will leave it by the door for you." Arwen said as she turned to leave. She looked back at the girl just as she slid her dress from her shoulders. She stared in horror as she saw the layers of scars upon the girls back, most of which looked as though they had been made by whips. Arwen could not be sure without asking, but now was not the time for such comments. She slid from the room and shut the door behind herself. She leaned against the door for a moment and blinked back tears for a few moments. She regained her composure quickly and hurried down the hall, towards the throne room. She wanted to tell Aragorn what she had found out, and plead with him not to make the girl join them for dinner that night.

Upon entering the throne room, Arwen smiled as she saw Aragorn sitting in his throne, his head propped up on his arm, holding his head up. His eyes were closed and he appeared to be sleeping. His hair was more grayed now, but only enough to make him look distinguished and kingly. She hurried up to him and tenderly placed a kiss upon his cheek. He instantly stirred, a smile crossing his lips before he sat up and blinked a few times, as if trying to remember where he was. He looked up at Arwen and smiled before sitting back in his throne with a small sigh.

"Did you find her?" Aragorn asked quietly. He had sent Arwen out looking for the girl when Faramir told them that she refused his help to find a place to stay within the kingdom.

"I did." She said gently before lowering her head. "I heard very little of what her people have gone through, but it was enough. There was a feud between rulers, leaving most of her people, and all of her family, dead. She even lost her children, Aragorn." She said quietly before sighing. "She has not even had time to grieve for them, having been too busy trying to take care of the rest of her people. I think that we should let her have some time to herself. She needs time to mourn her loss and put it behind her. Death is never easy, especially not when so much is expected of you afterwards."

"You are right." Aragorn said with a small smile. "We will give her time. Is she going to be staying with us, then?"

"Tonight, she is. I heard Faramir offer her a room within his own home, but she denied him. I fear I missed too much of that conversation to understand why." She said tenderly.

"Tonight, we will leave her alone and let her grieve. Tomorrow, if you do not mind, I would like you to show her around the kingdom. I feel that people will be more willing to talk with her if you are near."

"I do not mind. I would like to be able to speak with her further." Arwen said with a tender smile before leaning down and kissing her husband upon the lips tenderly. He smiled and lifted a hand to cup her cheek as he kissed her back softly.

Polenia slowly lowered herself into the hot water, wincing slightly, but enjoying the sensation against her skin. She sat down and trembled as the hot water washed over her body. She leaned back and closed her eyes, doing her best to relax for a few moments. She did not realize how stiff and sore her muscles were until this moment. Every inch of her seemed to throb with exhaustion and stress from her long journey. With no sound to distract her from her mind, she thought about her loss. The feeling of her children's hearts stopping while they slept within her arms. The pain and anguish that seeing their bodies being buried had caused her. Her lip began to quiver, and then, within seconds, she began fully sobbing. She cried loudly, unaware that her noise echoed through the halls, filling everyones ears with her sorrow. She could not contain it anymore. She released every painful emotion that she had contained within her heart. She cried for what felt like hours, until her eyes had no tears left, and the tub of water had grown cold around her. When she finished crying, she quickly washed the dirt and grime from her skin, face and hair before getting out of the cold tub. She trembled and nervously reached out, placing her hands against the walls, trying to find a towel to dry herself with. She whined, feeling like she was doing laps around the room before she finally found a towel, near the sink. She grabbed it and wrapped it around herself tightly, trembling as she ran her fingers through her clean, unknotted hair. It felt nice to be clean again, and to wash herself of her sorrows, at least for a little while. She reached out and tried to find the door. Her hands hit the soft wood, and then the cold, metal handle. She reached to the side and found some clothing on the table. She wondered if it was the cloak that Arwen had put there earlier, but it was not. She picked it up and realized that it was a very soft, very thick dress. It must have been a night gown, to keep her warm during the chilled night. She let her towel fall before she slid into the gown, lacing it up the back to the best of her abilities. She tied it loosely before leaning down and picking up the towel. She folded it and placed it upon the small table before she opened the door to the bathroom and stepped out in the hall. She was hoping that someone would help her find the room she was supposed to be staying in tonight.

"Are you ready?" Arwen's voice called, from not too far down the hall.

"I am. Thank you, so much. I feel a lot better now." Polenia said with a tender smile, feeling slightly nervous that Arwen had probably heard her cries.

"I hoped you would feel better after having some time to yourself. Now, let's see you without all of the dirt." Arwen said tenderly as she cupped the girls face and looked at her.

Polenia was lovely, with raven hair and emerald eyes. Such a combination was a rarity in this part of the world. Her skin was fair, but there were small scars around her cheeks and her neck. She looked as though she had actually worked on a farm as a child. She was confident and showed the will to carry on, even when all was lost. She was more of a warrior than anything else. There were small wrinkles near the corners of her eyes. Arwen could not tell if they were from her age, or if the stress of her life had aged her more than she deserved. By looking at her, she had to be in her early to mid twenties. Her beauty was almost nearing that of the elves, but not quite. Perhaps she was one of the few Dúnedain that remained, but her eyes made that seem almost impossible.

"How old are you, Polenia?" Arwen asked quietly as she slowly released the girls face.

"I am twenty-seven." She said with a nervous smile. "Though, I probably look much older than that now."

"Not at all. I would not have guessed that to be your age. I thought you were younger." Arwen said tenderly, trying to cheer her up. "Are you ready for bed, or would you like something to eat first?"

"I think that sleep sounds like the best idea right now." Polenia said quietly as she looked around.

"Alright. I will take you to your room. You are welcome to stay with me and Aragorn as long as you desire to." Arwen said tenderly. "Though, I did over hear Faramir offer you a room within his own house. If you chose yo accept his offer, we will not protest. He is a good man. He is the Steward of Gondor, you know."

"I do not think I could live with him." Polenia said quickly. "It is nothing against him. I just do not believe I could be that close to his child without getting attached to her. I've lost my own children, I do not want to fool myself into adopting someone else's." She laughed quietly.

"Faramir's children do not have a mother. Éowyn died during the birth of his daughter, Finduilas. The loss destroyed him for a long time. He had finally managed to push passed it, and regain his strength, but it still plagues his heart."

"The pain of death never really goes away. We only learn to live with it." Polenia said sadly as she looked over at Arwen. "Why would you tell me this?"

"To make sure you know that if you did take his children in and treat them like your own, their real mother would not be angry with you. I think Éowyn would love what is best for her children's happiness."

"Well, I will not do anything unless Faramir asks it of me. There would be nothing in this world more cruel than me getting close to his children, only for him to make me leave them alone. That would be unfair to them." Polenia said tenderly. Arwen decided not to push the subject any further. She lead Polenia to a large guest bedroom. It was barely furnished, having only a large mirror upon the wall, one small, 4-drawer dresser, and a nightstand beside the bed. The bed was big enough for only one to sleep in comfortably, but that was not going to be a problem. Arwen lead Polenia across the room and took her hands, placing them upon the bed.

"I will get you in the morning, if you are not already awake. Sleep well." Arwen said tenderly, squeezing the girls hand tenderly before releasing it and walking from the room, closing the door behind herself.

Polenia smiled and nodded her thanks before she lifted the covers on the bed back and sat down on the edge. All of the blankets were extremely soft, and thick. She thought they must be hand made quilts. She would make it a point to ask in the morning. She laid back upon the bed, resting her head on the pillow. She let out a deep sigh of comfort as she closed her eyes and pulled the covers over herself. She was asleep almost instantly, feeling comfort and safety for the first time since she had left home.

"But, Papa, I do not want to go to bed!" Finduilas protested childishly as she struggled against Faramir trying to put her nightgown over her head. She turned from him and crossed her arms over her chest. He could not help but laugh to himself as he grabbed her and pulled her onto his lap, kissing her head tenderly.

"Why don't you want to go to bed? You are tired." Faramir said softly as he cuddled his daughter close to his chest.

"I am not!" She protested, yawning against her control as she tried to struggle away from me. "I do not want to sleep. When I wake up, you will be gone and that mean woman will be here!"

"Do not be so unkind, Pippin, she takes good care of you." He said gently as he stood his daughter up and managed to pull her nightgown over her head successfully this time.

"She is mean to us, that is why Elboron does not like to stay here." She protested quietly as her father put her small arms through the sleeves of her gown.

"Who would you rather watch you while I am serving the king?" He asked gently, even though he already knew what she was going to say.

"Polenia!" She said excitedly as she turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck, trying to be as cute as possible in order to get her way. "Oh, please, Papa! Can she stay here and take care of us while you are away?"

"You only just met this woman. Why do you want her to watch you?" He asked sadly.

"She is nice to me and does not sound mean when she speaks. She is really pretty, papa, and she tells nice stories. I don't have a mom… And I know you told me that I can't have one, but she is close. I want to be able to have her tell me bedtime stories, and brush my hair." The little girl ranted sleepily against his shoulder, finally giving in to the idea of sleep.

"She does not seem to like me very much, Pippin." He said quietly before he stood up and walked over to her bed, tucking her in gently before kissing her upon her forehead.

"If you were nice to her, she would like you…" She said with a small yawn before she rolled onto her side and quickly fell asleep.

"You are probably right…" He said with a sad sigh before standing up straight and walking from her bedroom. He blew out the candle beside the door before closing the door behind himself. He walked outside of his house and stood next to his door, leaning back against the stone wall. He took his pipe out and quickly lit it. He always made sure to smoke outside, not wanting his children to follow his bad example. That, and he did not want his house smelling of smoke. He put his pipe between his lips and smoked in silence for a while, blowing out rings every so often. He looked up at the stars in the navy sky and sighed.

"Éowyn… What am I supposed to do?" He asked softly. He hoped that one day, he would receive an answer, but tonight was not the time. There was only silence as he stared up at the sky, wishing that his wife did not have to leave him so soon.


	2. Chapter 2

Finduilas woke up early the next morning, before her father, and before the evil woman showed up to watch her for the day. She crawled out of bed as quiet as she could and changed into a dress for the day, making sure that it looked nice before she snuck out of her house, walking on the tips of her toes. She did not make a single noise until she closed the door behind herself. Even then, there was only a small click as she hurried down the street, hoping that she could find Polenia before her father woke up and made her go back home. She looked around frantically as she ran, realizing that this plan was not very well thought out. She had no idea where the woman went, or how she could find her. No one really knew who she was. She stopped everyone she saw in the street and asked them if they had seen her. The only way she could think to describe the woman was 'The pretty woman with black hair'. One by one, the people of Gondor smiled and shook their heads, saying that they had not seen the woman that she was looking for. The sun was starting to rise over the horizon and Finduilas knew that her father would realize she was gone soon. Just when she was about to turn around and go home, she saw Aragorn in the distance, speaking to a few of his guards. She hurried over to him and tugged on his sleeve childishly. He turned and looked down at her, a smile crossing his lips.

"Good morning." He said softly before kneeling before her. "What on earth are you doing awake so early?" He asked with a tender tone.

"Have you seen the pretty woman with black hair? I want to find her before papa wakes up." She said, sounding rather breathless as she spoke to him. She knew that he was king, if anyone knew where she was, he would. She may be just a child, but she was far smarter than anyone gave her credit for.

"I have seen her. She is staying in the royal home with us. I think she is still sleeping." He said with a small smile. "I will tell her that you are looking for her."

"No, I need to see her before papa wakes up, or he is going to let the mean lady stay." She protested quietly.

"Alright…" He said with a sigh before he stood back up and reached a hand down to her. "I will take you to her."

Excitedly, she grabbed his hand tightly, and eagerly followed him as he walked. He lead her into their great halls and all the way down to the end, to the guest room where Polenia was staying. He knocked upon the door and there was no answer. He slowly opened the door and looked inside. The woman was still asleep, completely wrapped in blankets.

"You can not go in and see her yet, little one." Aragorn said with a small smile as he looked down at her. "She is still asleep."

"Please? I promise I won't wake her up!" She pleaded childishly as she tugged on his hand. He chuckled and looked down at her with a playfully disapproving look. He let out a deep, over exaggerated sigh before nodding.

"Alright, but you better keep your promise. I am going to go find your father and tell him where you are."

"Please, don't! Papa will be mad that I ran out again."

"I think he would be more upset if he did not know where you were." He said gently. She only sighed and nodded her head. She knew he was right. Either way, she was going to be in trouble. He nudged her towards the door and she quietly tip toed in. The sight of the girl walking so slowly on her toes was cute and he had to stop himself from laughing. He closed the door softly, with a small click before he turned and walked towards Faramir's home, hoping that he could explain this well enough to suppress the mans anger.

Finduilas hurried to the woman's bed, staring at her for a few moments before gently touching her shoulder. Polenia groaned and shook her head, nuzzling deeper into her pillow before opening an eye. A smile crossed her lips before she lifted a hand to stroke the girls hair, letting out a small yawn.

"What on earth are you doing here so early?" Polenia asked sleepily.

"I told papa that I did not want the mean lady to watch me anymore. I wanted to find you and ask if you would watch me, so that he can send the mean lady away." She said frantically, hoping that the woman would say yes.

"Alright… Alright…" Polenia laughed gently as she tossed her covers back. "But you have to let me sleep just a little bit longer. You can stay with me, but let me sleep, and then I will watch you until your father comes home tonight. Do we have a deal?"

"Deal!" Finduilas said excitedly as she crawled into bed with the woman, covering herself with the blankets and cuddling close to the woman's chest. Polenia laughed quietly to herself as she wrapped an arm around the child and quickly went back to sleep.

Aragorn knocked on Faramir's door with a deep sigh as he waited. The door opened almost instantly. Faramir was standing there, haphazardly dressed and with a frantic look on his face.

"Please, tell me you have seen here." Faramir said hurriedly as he stared at Aragorn, desperation in his eyes.

"Yes, I have seen here. She is with Polenia. I tried to tell her to go home, but she would not take no for an answer. She seems to be very fond of that woman." Aragorn said gently.

"I do not know why she has taken such a liking to this stranger after only a few hours." Faramir admit softly, shaking his head.

"I think they are bonding over what neither of them have anymore." Aragorn said gently.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Faramir, I do not know how much you spoke to this woman about, but she has experienced loss, lots of it and very recently. She no longer has her children. Finduilas never knew her mother. Both of them are looking to fill a space within their heart, and they found one another. What is so wrong with that?"

"I am not ready to re-marry, Aragorn! I can not handle this, not right now." Faramir shouted angrily before holding his hand to his head, putting pressure on his temples before looking at Aragorn again with apologetic eyes. "I am sorry. I did not mean to lose my temper."

"I do not hold it against you, although." Aragorn said with a small smile. "I said nothing about remarrying, you are the one who had that thought. I am simply saying that you should allow Finduilas love this woman as a mother, and vise versa. What harm can it do to let them mend their wounded hearts?"

"What if she and I don't get along? How can I stay away from her while letting her be close to my children?"

"Do you think you will fight with her?"

"From what I have seen so far, she is independent, bull-headed, confident, strong-"

"She reminds you of Éowyn…" Aragorn said softly as he reached out and placed a gentle hand upon the mans shoulder, offering him comfort. It was easy to see the pain this statement caused Faramir, by the look of despair that crossed his face. "I do see how that could be hard for you, Faramir. I do not ask you to do anything that may compromise your own happiness. Finduilas is with Polenia, in the guest room. Polenia was still sleeping and I told your daughter not to wake her. If you want to go retrieve her, now would be the time to do so." He said sternly.

"Thank you, Aragorn. You are a good friend." Faramir said with a small smile before he let out a small sigh. Aragorn started on his way back to his men, to continue what he was doing before Finduilas had interrupted him.

Faramir let out a deeper sigh once he sat down on the chair beside his door. He put on his boots, buckling them quickly before standing and leaving his home, heading to go retrieve his daughter, hopefully, before she woke the woman up.

Not a single person questioned him as he walked through the halls and towards the guest bedroom. He knocked upon the door, and let out a small sigh of relief when there was no answer. He opened the door quietly and looked in. His face showed sadness when he was his daughter curled up with the woman in her bed. It was the most adorable thing he had seen his daughter do in a long time. She would not even sleep with him in his bed like that, not since she made up her mind that she hated the the woman who watched her during the day. He had never noticed it before, but perhaps it was the woman who was tearing them apart. By forcing his daughter to stay with that woman during the day, she rebelled. She ran off, to get his attention, to show him how unhappy she was. She had tried saying she was unhappy, but he had ignored her pleas for a new guardian. How could he have been so blind not to see the suffering of his own children? Perhaps that was the reason that Elboron insisted on learning to keep watch in the tower instead of staying at home.

He slowly stepped into the room and closed the door behind himself before he walked over to the bed. He had come here to take Pippin home, but now, he couldn't do that to her. The look on her face as she slept showed pure happiness and bliss. He could not take that away from her just because of his own insecurities. He knelt beside the bed and took one of Pippin's hands in his, kissing her knuckles tenderly, hoping that she would wake up. She stirred and yawned softly before her bright eyes fluttered open. She looked at him, and the happiness left her face as she wiped her eyes.

"Are you going to make me come home now…?" She asked sleepily, but the disappointment was clear in her voice.

"I am not going to make you go home. I am also going to tell Comyna that she will no longer be watching you. That is, if you have asked Polenia to watch you, and she agreed." Faramir said with a small smile. His heart was filled with joy when happiness and excitement lit her face. She sat up quickly and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly, nuzzling against his hair as she said 'Thank you' a million times over. She was not keeping her voice down, and he was afraid she was going to wake Polenia.

"Shh, sweet heart, you need to keep quiet or you are going to wake her up." Faramir whispered softly, unable to stop laughing. It had been a long time since he saw his daughter so excited about anything.

"Finduilas?" Polenia groaned quietly as she sat up, rubbing her eyes. "What are you going on about?" She asked with a small yawn. When her eyes opened, she let out a scream of terror as she covered herself with the blankets on the bed. She had not expected Faramir to be in the room with her when she awoke. A bright blush crossed her face do to her discomfort and nervousness of him seeing her in her night gown.

"I did not mean to frighten you." Faramir said gently before standing, holding Finduilas, seeing as she would not release his neck. He then paused for a moment as he stared at her. "How on earth did you know I was in here?"

"Certain people…" Polenia said before swallowing nervously. "Give off a soft color, like a mist…" She said quietly. "Not everyone, and there are very few people here who I can see…"

"What is my color?" He asked curiously. Polenia laughed quietly and shook her head before running her fingers through her hair, trying to smooth it out. She could feel how wild and curly it was this early in the morning. That is what she gets for going to sleep with her hair wet.

"I will not tell you what your color is. Not today." She said gently as she released her blankets and slowly got out of her bed, stretching her arms over her head. "Why are you here so early? Or is it just to take Finduilas home?"

"Actually, I came to tell you, that I would greatly appreciate it if you would like to watch her during the day. I did not realize how unhappy she was with Comyna until you showed up. It has been a long time since I have seen my daughter smile so brightly. If it is you who makes her happy, then it is you that I would want, above all others, to keep an eye on her."

"I am honored that you feel that way." She said with a tender smile before slowly walking around the bed, touching it the entire way around, to make sure that she did not run into it. She walked to him and looked up at his face, brushing a strand of hair from her eyes. "I would love to keep an eye on her for you, while you are away." She said with a tender smile.

He shifted Finduilas into one arm, so that she could also look at Polenia. He did not realize before just how lovely this woman was. She did not look like a child, but a woman who had actually seen death and experienced sorrow. Perhaps he had judged her too quickly. Before he realized what he was doing, he had reached out and cupped her cheek with his free hand. Her skin was warm, and getting warmer as she began to blush. She nervously placed a trembling hand upon his own.

"What are you doing?" She asked softly, her eyes searching in the darkness, wishing she could see the look upon his face.

"I…" He said softly before quickly taking his hand back from her. "I am going to be late." He said sternly before kissing Finduilas upon her cheek. She giggled and kissed him back before he set her down on the floor. She hugged Polenia's leg almost immediately, almost knocking her over. She placed a hand upon Finduilas' head and heard the bedroom door slam almost immediately after.

"He really doesn't like me, does he?" Polenia said with a small sigh before shaking her head.

"He likes you. He just doesn't like it." Finduilas reassured her with a confident tone of voice.

"How do you know that?" Polenia asked with a quizzical look as she gazed down upon the girl.

"Because, Papa never touches women like that. He is always really good about keeping his hands to himself." Finduilas explained with a small smile. "I hope he lets you be my mom…"

"Oh, sweet heart…" Polenia said sadly before she knelt down and looked at the girl. She cupped her face and kissed her forehead gently before holding her tightly. "Do not say such things… I can not be a mother to you. I can only be your friend. If anything, I will be more like a big sister." She said sadly. It hurt her to say these things to the girl. She would give anything to be a mother again, but fate took that life from her. She was not going to force herself into someone else's life just because of her own selfish desires.

"Why not?" Finduilas protested quietly as she hugged the woman tightly.

"We can not ask that of your father. Being a mother is more than just having children, sweet heart. Your father would have to love me too, in order for me to be a real mother to you. He has already lost so much, we could not ask that of him. Now, I do not want to hear you say you want me to be your mother again, do you understand? And especially not in front of your father." She said sternly, pulling away from the hug and gently holding the girl by her shoulders.

"I won't say it anymore. Not unless he says it first." Finduilas said sternly, not willing to give up all hope that she would have a mother.

"Alright. If he says it first, you can say it." Polenia said with a sad laugh before she stood up again.

There was a small knock on the door then and Polenia straightened out her night gown before answering.

"Come in." She called gently, facing the door. She heard it open, but did not see a color. She knew it was not Faramir coming back. She was slightly disappointed, but did not know why she had expected him to return.

"I did not realize you would have company this morning." Arwen said with a small laugh. "I got you a dress to wear. We attempted to wash your old one and it just kind of… Fell apart." She admit softly. "I hope the one I have brought for you will suffice. It is a little more complicated to put on, so, I would like to help you, if you will allow me."

"I would like that. Thank you, Arwen." Polenia said quietly as she looked down at Finduilas. "Would you mind waiting out in the hallway, sweet heart?" She said tenderly. Finduilas nodded and let go of her leg quickly, hurrying out into the hallway.

"She is such a good child." Polenia said with a small laugh as she reached behind her back to unlace her night gown.

"Oh, if only you knew half of the trouble she has gotten into around here. Climbing the watch tower, knocking over food carts, releasing the livestock into the streets." Arwen said with a small laugh as she unfolded the dress and laid it down upon the bed.

"Oh, surely that sweet little girl couldn't have done any of that!" Polenia protested with a small laugh before she let her dress fall to the ground.

"Here, put this on first." Arwen said gently as she handed a thin, white, under dress to Polenia. She could not help but to scan the woman's body. She was far more muscular than she ever would have assumed. She wondered why a woman who carried herself so confidently would look as though she spent every day working in the fields. Other than the muscular features, she was very fit, and her body still looked like that of a woman who would be barely twenty. Polenia lifted the dress over her head and straightened it out around her hips.

"I couldn't help but notice last night." Arwen said gently. "And please, do not be offended, but… The scars on your back. Where did you get them?"

"My husband…." Polenia said sadly before shaking her head. "My husband had a gambling problem. He had to do a lot of very desperate, very hurtful things to himself and me. Those resulted when he had me taken from him, to work off his debt." She said quietly.

"That is terrible." Arwen said quietly as she lifted the dress and put it over the woman's head. She helped her find the sleeves before she began to lace up the back. the laces went down to her hips, and all the way up to her neck. She knew that it would have been a pain for Polenia to try and dress herself.

"It was life. I never questioned it, because that was how it had always been. My father did the same thing when I was just a child, so I did not question it." Polenia said with a stern tone.

"I hope that you and your people will find a happier life here." Arwen said, speaking truthfully, from the heart as she looked upon this woman. "Would you mind if I braided your hair? It is so lovely."

"That would be very kind, thank you." Polenia said with a tender smile. Arwen sat Polenia down upon the bed and then knelt behind her, wrapping her hair into an elegant braid that crossed the back of her head and fell over her right shoulder.

"How long ago did you lose your husband?" Arwen asked curiously as she braided the woman's hair.

"Over a year ago. The men he owed money to finally got fed up with him owing them money, and let him pay his debt with his life." Polenia said quietly. "I feel guilty, because I do not miss him. I miss my children, more than anything, but not my husband. Is that wrong of me?"

"That depends. Why did you marry him?"

"Because my father told me that I had to…"

"Then, no. I do not think it is wrong that you do not miss him. If you did not love him, it was a pity that you had to marry him in the first place." Arwen said quietly. She wanted to ask about Polenia's children, but thought it was too soon to bring up such a painful memory. She could not imagine losing a child. The pain would be absolutely unbearable.

"I hoped that maybe, I could start over here, try living my life again. I was haunted by so many harsh memories before, because I could not leave my home." Polenia said with a sad smile. "Perhaps, here, someone may finally love me."

"Finduilas already loves you." Arwen pointed out gently. "And you are welcome in my home any time."

"Thank you, Arwen. Your people are blessed to have such a kind-hearted ruler." Polenia said with a small sigh.

"There we go, your hair is all finished." Arwen said gently before she got up from the bed and walked across the room, opening the door. "You can come back in now, Pippin."

"Where does that name come from?" Polenia asked quietly as she stood up, running her fingers over her braid, smiling slightly as she felt how smooth her hair felt.

"It comes from a friend of Faramir's, back when we had the Great War." Arwen said with a small smile. "I think it is a way for Faramir to honor his friendship."

"That is very sweet." Polenia laughed gently before she stepped closer to the door. "Finduilas, what would you like to do now? I am to watch you now, you know." She said teasingly.

"Can we go to the gardens?" Finduilas pleaded, tugging on Polenia's hand tenderly. "I barely ever get to go to the gardens!"

"Why is that?" Polenia asked gently.

"Because Comyna never wanted to leave the house… She would never take me there, and if I ever snuck out, it was always the first place she looked for me, so I couldn't go there…" Finduilas said with a small pout as she looked up at the woman. "Can we go to the gardens, pretty please?" She asked, giving the biggest, cheesiest smile she could conger up.

"Alright, but you and Arwen are going to have to lead the way, that is, if Lady Arwen would like to come with us." Polenia said with a small smile.

"I think that a trip to the gardens sounds lovely. Aragorn asked me if I would show you around today. I think that the gardens are a perfect place to start teaching you the landscape of Gondor." Arwen said with a tender smile before tenderly taking the woman's hand and leading her from the room.

Polenia talked very little as they walked to the gardens. She was doing her best to remember the way to get there. They went down two flights of stairs, took a right turn and went down another flight of stairs. They then took a right and went down yet another flight of stairs. At this point, she could smell the flowers and she knew that she was close. She continued to walk forward with Arwen and Finduilas and she stopped when she felt the ground beneath her feet turn from stone to grass. She looked around before nervously reaching her hands outward, trying to make sure that she would not walk into any of the plants.

"Do not worry." Arwen said quietly, taking one of the girls hands. "I will not let you fall."

"Thank you, Arwen." Polenia said quietly as she squeezed the woman's hand, walking a bit more confidently now that she knew she would not be allowed to walk into anything, or trip. Finduilas had already left the women to go run around and chase butterflies that surrounded the flowers. She reached out, tracing her fingers across the smooth leaves of the plans, and the petals of the flowers. She wished that she could see their colors. It was times like these that she missed the beauty in the world, even if her blindness did save her from the horrors that showed their ugly faces.

"You seem as though you are now lost." Arwen said quietly. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, No, I'm alright. I just wish that I could see the flowers, that is all. I know how they feel and how they smell… But colors… I wish that I could see colors again. It is moments such as these that I would trade anything to have my sight back, just for one day." Polenia said with a sad smile before a tear slid down her cheek.

"Do not weep for what you have lost." Arwen encouraged gently, wiping the tear away with a gentle touch. "Be joyous for what you have gained."

"Those are very wise words to live by." Polenia admit softly before regaining her composure. She and Arwen sat, and talked about their lives for a very long time while Finduilas played in with the butterflies and other insects that she could find. It must have been hours later when Finduilas finally came back to them.

"Polenia." The child whined quietly. "I am hungry. Can we go home and find something to eat?" She asked sheepishly.

"Of course we can, but you need to lead me to your home. I know not the way." Polenia said quietly as she reached her hand out. Finduilas grabbed her hand almost instantly as she started leading the woman towards her home.

"I hope you two do not mind, but I am going to see if Aragorn needs me." Arwen said quietly before she turned and headed back towards her own home.

Again, Polenia was completely focused on trying to remember the way from the garden, to Finduilas' home. They went down two more flights of stairs and only turned right. They followed the walkway for about seventy paces before Finduilas stopped and opened a door.

"Are we here?" Polenia asked quietly as she followed the child into the house, hoping that she remembered where she lived. She would hate to explain to strangers why she and a small child were in their home unexpectedly. She did not want to make enemies here.

"Yes, we are. Here, let me show you where the kitchen is." Finduilas said hurriedly as she left the room. Polenia laughed quietly and reached her hands out in front of herself blindly. She managed to cross the main room without tripping on anything. She hugged the wall and nervously slid across it, heading towards the direction that she heard Finduilas walk.

"Sweet heart, where are you?" Polenia asked quietly as she found a doorway and turned.

"I'm right here, silly." Finduilas said gently as she looked around at her small dining room. Polenia stepped away from the wall and took two steps, and immediately ran into the table in the center of the room, stabbing her hip with the corner of the table. She groaned in pain as she backed up, wincing as she tried not to cry.

"God, that hurts." She mumbled to herself quietly.

"I'm sorry, Polenia!" Finduilas cried out quietly as she ran to the woman's side, placing her small hands on the woman's side. "Are you going to be okay?"

"I will be just fine, sweet heart. Don't worry about me. What do you want for lunch?" Polenia asked, still trying to hide the pain in her voice.

"I already found us lunch." Finduilas said before taking her hands away from the woman. She walked across the room and back again, placing a piece of salted pork into the woman's hand.

"Well, aren't you sweet." Polenia laughed quietly. "I thought that you wanted me to make you lunch?"

"You are new. I'm making it easy today, so that you don't leave." Finduilas said honestly. Polenia could not help but laugh as she raised the pork to her mouth, taking a small bite. It was absolutely delicious. It was cooked perfectly and the flavor was almost completely new to her. She had never eaten anything so delectable in all of her life.

"This is really good." Polenia said with a small smile. "And what makes you think I am going to leave?"

"Comyna says that I am a little monster. Only reason she doesn't leave is because she likes papa so much." Finduilas said quietly.

Polenia would forever be surprised by the blunt honesty of children. She did not think that Finduilas would lie to her. What reason would she have to lie now? She was already rid of the woman who used to watch her, why continue to slander her name? This made Polenia wonder what else the woman said to these poor children. No child should be spoken to in such a way.

"She likes your papa?"

"Uh-huh. She has said a lot of times that she is going to be our mom, and that we just need to wait for it." Finduilas said gently, talking with her mouth full. Polenia couldn't see her doing it, but the sound was unmistakable.

"Do not chew with your mouth open, Pippin, it is very un-lady like."

"How did you know?" Finduilas asked, completely in awe that the woman knew she was speaking with food in her mouth.

"I could hear it." Polenia said with a tender smile. "I can not see, so, my hearing is very good. Does this woman truly think she is going to be your mother?"

"Yeah…" Finduilas said sadly.

"Well, clearly, she does not know your Papa very well. I do not think he would ever marry a woman his children did not adore. I don't think he would marry a woman if his children did adore her. He is still in love with your mother, Pippin, I can tell."

"I never knew my mother… Papa never talks about her, and doesn't answer my questions about her either." Finduilas said with a small sigh as she finished eating her food.

"I will talk to your Papa about that when I see him this evening." Polenia said sternly, finishing her own food before sighing and wiping her hands on her dress. She knew that it wasn't very lady like, and she hoped that Finduilas would not follow her example and start doing that.

"Well, what should we do now?" Polenia asked with a tender smile.

"Can we go walk through the market?" Finduilas asked hopefully.

"Arwen told me that you cause trouble down at the market." Polenia said with a small smile, crinkling her nose at the girl.

"Not when someone is with me!"

"Why do you cause trouble when you are alone?"

"Because… When I am in trouble, Papa comes home to be with me." She said sheepishly.

"I am going to have some serious conversations with your father." Polenia said, with a slight tone of anger in her voice as she stood up.

Hours passed with Finduilas and Polenia talking, and bonding over anything they could find in common. The more they talked, the more Polenia's heart yearned to have her own children back within her arms. She found herself thinking that, perhaps, watching this young girl was not the best idea she had ever had. She was already growing so attached to this child. Finduilas reminded her of her own daughter, so much that there were several times where she almost called the girl 'Anyta' on accident. She did not want to make that mistake. Explaining the death of her children to anyone would likely destroy her. She would keep those emotions and those memories safely locked up until she was ready to face them and beat them.

The sun had started to set outside, and Polenia only knew this because of the tiredness she heard in Finduilas' voice. She picked up the small girl, who held her tightly, falling asleep against her shoulder almost instantly. Polenia begrudgingly woke the child, just long enough to change her into her night gown before she tucked her into bed. She kissed the small girl on top of her head and sighed gently as she stepped out of her room. She did not realize that the whole house was dark and that there were no candles lit. She had not thought about it. Light made absolutely no difference to her now.

She heard the door open, and she thought that it may be Faramir. She walked back into the main room, holding her hands out slightly. She could hear footsteps, but they did not sound like the footsteps of a man. They were too light, too soft, and too fast. Someone else was in this house and she immediately went into defense.

"Who is in here!" She demanded loudly as she stood up straighter. She was not much taller than most women, but she was stronger. She heard the footsteps moving around her, but she could not pin them down to any one area. She listened intently, making sure that the stranger did not go anywhere near Finduilas room. Who ever was in the house did not seem to care about the child. Their footsteps only made a half circle around Polenia. She wondered what kind of person would have come here just to make her uncomfortable.

She heard the footsteps run towards her suddenly and she raised her hand, catching the figure by their shoulders and shoving them back from her. She ran for the door and had her hand on the metal handle when she felt a hand grab her braid and yank. She cried out in pain and spun around with her hand balled into a fist and she swung blindly, catching the person in the side of the jaw. She heard a small crack beneath the sound of flesh against flesh. There was a cry of pain from the form that attacked her, but it did not sound like a man. No, this was a woman who had attacked her. She quickly opened the door and stumbled out into the street.

"What on earth do you want from me?" She screamed as she turned around. She was greeted by a hand, clawing her across her right cheek. She spun away from the blow and covered her cheek with her hand.

"How dare you come here and take everything I worked for away from me!" A woman's voice shouted loudly, stepping nearer to her. Polenia took a step back, but her back hit the cool, stone wall behind her as she faced forward.

"I have no idea what you are talking about!" She shouted back in protest. How could there not be people around? Was everyone already within their homes for the night? She prayed to the gods that someone would stop this woman.

"Do not toy with me! All I wanted in this life was to find a good husband, and you have taken that from me!" The woman shouted again before rushing towards Polenia again. This time Polenia did not move. She waited, and timed it perfectly. When the woman's hands met her throat, she grabbed the woman by the shoulders and spun, using the woman's force and momentum against her, slamming her against the stone wall she had been pressed against. The woman cried out in pain as she struggled. Polenia held her by her shoulders and did not ease up, pressing her against the wall as hard as she could.

"This is why you do not deserve a good husband." Polenia hissed quietly as she leaned towards the woman. "I am assuming, of course, that you are Comyna…" She spat bitterly. "If you can not love children like they are your own… You do not deserve to have them, or their father in your miserable life?" She hissed bitterly before she looked to the side. She could see Faramir, in the distance. He was walking a normal pace, heading home from a long day. He must not have seen them yet. She eased up her grip, not wanting him to think that he had trusted his daughter to some sort of barbarian.

"You know nothing! You are just a traveling whore. who is weaseling your way into the hearts of men!" Camyna shouted angrily as she broke free of Polenia's grasp and grabbed her by her head, and slammed her against the wall. Polenia gasped and cried out in pain as she felt the side of her head hit the wall. She could see stars in her darkness because of the pain in her head. She could feel the sting of a fresh wound as the hot blood dripped down the side of her face.

"Polenia! Camyna!" Faramir shouted angrily as he hurried towards them. He quickly stepped between them and looked back and forth between the women who were covered in injuries.

Camyna was much, much younger than Polenia, practically a child herself, no more than sixteen or seventeen years of age. She had long, blonde hair that was tied back from her face lazily. The side of her face was scratched, bleeding and starting to bruise from when Polenia slammed her against the wall. Camyna had only watched Faramir's children because of her unnatural love for the man. He allowed her to watch his children because she was the only one willing to stay with them from sunrise to sunset

"Someone explain to me what is going on here!" Faramir shouted angrily as he continued to look back and forth between the girls.

"She stole you from me!" Camyna protested childishly, stamping her foot as she looked up at him. "She knew of my feelings for you and forced me out of your house! You let her do it! I thought you cared about me!" She cried indignantly.

"What on earth gave you that idea?" Faramir asked, completely confused by her sudden outbursts. "You are a child, Camyna. I do not love you, not like that. You are more of a daughter to me than anything else."

"That is not good enough! You need to love me, like I love you! Not this… This whore!" Camyna shouted angrily as she pointed towards Polenia. Polenia finally managed to stand up straight, blood still dripping down the side of her face. She stood tall and walked towards the girl, glaring at her.

"How dare you say such scandalous accusations!" Polenia shouted angrily. "I do not want to be his wife, or his lover, or his whore! I do not want to be the mother of his children, I simply want to spent time with his children! If you are too childish to see that, you do not deserve a man as pure hearted as Faramir." She snapped angrily.

"Polenia, your head…" Faramir said quietly as he turned, reaching up to touch her wound, to see how bad it was. Before he reached her, Camyna had stepped forward and shoved Polenia back again.

"Stay away from her! She is a witch!" Camyna shouted angrily as she continued trying to claw and slap Polenia. Faramir grabbed the younger girl around her waist and held her back.

"Guards!" He shouted frantically as he struggled to hold the flailing Camyna. He looked at Polenia, wanting to speak to her, but she had already turned and ran. He wondered where she was going to. Her injuries needed to be taken care of.

After the ordeal of getting Camyna safely locked up for the night, Faramir was completely exhausted. How had he never realized that the girl watching his children was absolutely crazy? He felt like a horrible person, and a horrible father for subjecting his children to that horrible woman. When he and two guards escorted Camyna to the barracks, he asked Aragorn if Polenia had come back to her room in his house yet. He seemed confused when he told Faramir she had not.

"I think you may want to check the garden." Arwen suggested quietly as she walked passed him, as if she was trying to be sneaky about telling him her whereabouts.

Faramir took her hint as a good place to start. He did not have time to check the entire kingdom in one night to look for her. He grabbed a bowl of water and a cloth, so that if she had not cleaned up her wounds, he could at least try to help her. He was careful, not to spill the water as he ran down the flights of stairs, towards the garden. The moonlight shone brightly, making the whole city seem to glow blue. He could see clearly without any candle to light his way. He stepped into the garden and looked around. He smiled to himself when he saw a figure sitting in the darkness, near the lilacs. He walked over slowly and before he even got close, she had turned to face him. She stood quickly and turned away, as if to leave now that he had arrived.

"No, don't go." Faramir called gently as he hurried towards her, setting the bowl down upon the stone bench.

"I am… Sorry that my arrival here has started a fight. I did not mean to upset anyone." Polenia said quietly, not turning to look at him as she spoke.

"You have done nothing wrong. You have opened my eyes to what was already wrong before your arrival. Have you cleaned your face?" He asked gently. He sat down upon the bench and looked up at her.

"I have not… I did not know if it was safe to go to Arwen… and I did not want to worry Pippin." She said sadly.

"Come on… Sit down…" Faramir said quietly as he reached for her hand, pulling her back and sitting her down upon the bench beside him. He reached up and grabbed her chin gently, turning her head so that he could see the injuries. There were four streaks, scratch marks, across her cheek and the blood from her head wound was dried against her skin. He sighed sadly before he reached down and grabbed the rag, wringing the water out of it before raising it to her face. He dabbed the dried blood away from around the scratches and then got as much of it out of her hair as he could. His hands were soft and gentle as he tried to help her mend her wounds.

"You are quite the fighter." Faramir said with a soft laugh. "You left before you found out that you dislocated Comyna's shoulder." He said gently as he continued to dab at the wounds on her face.

"I did not mean to hurt her." She whispered quietly, wrapping her arms around herself softly.

"I know, and that is what makes you special. You fight, not because you want to, or even because you have to. You fight to keep those you care about safe, right?"

"I… I did not want her to hurt Pippin…" She said quietly. "As it is, She told me that Comyna said very cruel things to her and Elboron and that is why your son could not stand to be at home any more. She said she told you… But you ignored her." She said before wincing and grabbing his wrist.

"I'm sorry…" He said gently as he slowly pulled his hand away from her head wound. "It still hasn't stopped bleeding." He said quietly before sighing. "She has not lied to you… I have not been as good a father as I should have been. I vow that I am going to do better for them from here on out." He said sternly.

"That is all anyone can ask." Polenia whispered quietly.

"You know, no one but me has ever called Finduilas by Pippin." He said gently as he looked at her with a playful smile.

"I could stop, if it bothers you." She whispered nervously as she looked at him sheepishly.

"No.. I like hearing it." He said sweetly before he reached out and cupped her face tenderly. "Have Arwen and Aragorn told you how I lost my wife?" He asked quietly.

"Very little…" Polenia said nervously as she raised her hand, placing it upon his own, trying to hide her trembling.

"I miss her… But I realize now, that I should not make myself lonely, just because I lost what I had. She would be so upset with me if she knew how much control she had over my emotions and my heart." He said with a small laugh before letting out a sigh. "I hate myself, right now."

"Why?" She asked nervously as she tried to pull away from his touch. He did not let her. He slid his hand around to the back of her head, holding her closer to him as he leaned forward.

"I hate myself, because I want nothing more than to kiss you, right this moment, and hold you close to me." He whispered quietly as he leaned closer to her.

"No, we can't." She cried out nervously as she pulled away from his grasp and stood up. "W-we can not do this. It isn't fair for Pippin to think she will be gaining a mother when she will not. These feelings are not real, they are going to pass!" She protested as she hurried away from him, wanting to forget everything he had just said to her. He stood up and grabbed her by her shoulders from behind, spinning her and pinning her against one of the stone pillars that surrounded the large garden. He looked upon her face and did not ease up on her shoulders.

"Please…" He whispered quietly as he looked upon her face.

"Faramir, we are both feeling loss, but we can not-" He stopped her before she could deny him again. He leaned forward, locking his lips onto hers. He expected her to push him away, but she did not. She raised her hands, cupping his cheeks for a moment before sliding her fingers into his hair, twining her fingers in his red locks before kissing him back. Tears swelled in her eyes as she realized what she was doing. She broke the kiss and shook her head.

"We can not do this. I am sorry." She whispered quietly as she pulled out of his grasp and walked into the darkness. Faramir stood still and watched her go. His heart was beating rapidly in his chest. Having her walk away from him brought him back into reality. What on earth was he doing? Had he really forgotten Éowyn so easily just because he looked upon this new woman? He cursed himself as he leaned against the pillar, punching the stone out of frustration. He wanted a sign from Éowyn, to know if it was alright to move on. He wanted to know if he was making the right decision. Again, no sign from her came to him, and tonight, it was more than he could bear. He slid to the ground, holding his head in his hands as tears began to escape his eyes.

"Éowyn…. I can not do this alone…." He whispered into the night. His words were carried off by the wind, and lost within the stars. He prayed that she would hear him, and that maybe, somehow, she would help him.


End file.
